A wrappable textile sleeve with closure system and method of construction is provided. The sleeve has a wall of interlaced yarn with opposite edges extending in a lengthwise direction along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The opposite edges are wrappable into overlapping relation with one another to form a tubular cavity. The wall has a first set of closed loops positioned adjacent one of the opposite edges and a second set of closed loops positioned adjacent the other of the opposite edges. At least one flexible lace is disposed through the closed loops in a zig-zag pattern, thereby extending back-and-forth between the first set of loops and the second set of loops. The flexible lace is slidable through the plurality of loops to facilitate drawing and maintaining the opposite edges in overlapping relation with one another.

A method is provided for operating a textile machine having a plurality of work stations wherein, during normal operation of the work stations, a yarn is produced or is rewound from a delivery coil onto a receiver coil. The normal operation is initiated at the individual work stations after a stop of the textile machine, or is interrupted at certain time intervals by a service operation in the form of a piecing process, a tube changing process, or a yarn joining process. The service operations are divided into several partial sequences. A pending partial sequence for one of the service operations is carried out so long as energy resources required for carrying out the pending partial sequence are available independent of whether the energy resources for carrying out the other partial sequences for the service operation are available.

A method is provided for operating a textile machine having a plurality of work stations wherein, during normal operation of the work stations, a yarn is produced or is rewound from a delivery coil onto a receiver coil. The normal operation is initiated at the individual work stations after a stop of the textile machine, or is interrupted at certain time intervals by a service operation in the form of a piecing process, a tube changing process, or a yarn joining process. The service operations are divided into several partial sequences. A pending partial sequence for one of the service operations is carried out so long as energy resources required for carrying out the pending partial sequence are available independent of whether the energy resources for carrying out the other partial sequences for the service operation are available.

A wrappable textile sleeve with closure system and method of construction is provided. The sleeve has a wall of interlaced yarn with opposite edges extending in a lengthwise direction along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The opposite edges are wrappable into overlapping relation with one another to form a tubular cavity. The wall has a first set of closed loops positioned adjacent one of the opposite edges and a second set of closed loops positioned adjacent the other of the opposite edges. At least one flexible lace is disposed through the closed loops in a zig-zag pattern, thereby extending back-and-forth between the first set of loops and the second set of loops. The flexible lace is slidable through the plurality of loops to facilitate drawing and maintaining the opposite edges in overlapping relation with one another.

A fiber bundle joining apparatus includes: a support table configured to hold a terminal end portion side of a first fiber bundle; a roller mechanism having a roller around which a leading end portion side of a second fiber bundle is capable of being wound; a movement mechanism configured to perform a first movement for moving the roller mechanism to the vicinity of the terminal end portion side of the first fiber bundle, and a second movement for further moving the roller mechanism on the terminal end portion side of the first fiber bundle to create a state where the leading end portion side of the second fiber bundle is stacked on the terminal end portion side of the first fiber bundle; and a thermocompression bonding mechanism configured to pressure-bond the first fiber bundle and the second fiber bundle.

A fiber bundle joining apparatus includes: a support table configured to hold a terminal end portion side of a first fiber bundle; a roller mechanism having a roller around which a leading end portion side of a second fiber bundle is capable of being wound; a movement mechanism configured to perform a first movement for moving the roller mechanism to the vicinity of the terminal end portion side of the first fiber bundle, and a second movement for further moving the roller mechanism on the terminal end portion side of the first fiber bundle to create a state where the leading end portion side of the second fiber bundle is stacked on the terminal end portion side of the first fiber bundle; and a thermocompression bonding mechanism configured to pressure-bond the first fiber bundle and the second fiber bundle.

Methods are provided for forming spliced connections in coverbraided ropes in the form of a sling having at least one eye. The methods include the step of situating a void spacer adjacent to a portion of a core rope. The methods also include coverbraiding the removable void spacer to create a tunnel into which a section of the same coverbraided sheath enclosing a strength member core is able to be positioned in between the strength member core and the coverbraided sheath enclosing the strength member core in the vicinity of the spliced eye's splice braid zone, thereby forming a spliced eye connection.

Methods are provided for forming spliced connections in coverbraided ropes in the form of a sling having at least one eye. The methods include the step of situating a void spacer adjacent to a portion of a core rope. The methods also include coverbraiding the removable void spacer to create a tunnel into which a section of the same coverbraided sheath enclosing a strength member core is able to be positioned in between the strength member core and the coverbraided sheath enclosing the strength member core in the vicinity of the spliced eye's splice braid zone, thereby forming a spliced eye connection.

A method and system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, a reserve nose wire is brought up to a transport speed in a conveying direction of the running nose wire. At or near a zero relative speed between the running nose wire and the reserve nose wire, a leading end of the reserve nose wire is introduced onto the running nose wire, and the two wires are spliced together. The running nose wire is then cut upstream of the splice location such that the reserve nose wire becomes a new running nose wire in the production line.

A method and system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, a reserve nose wire is brought up to a transport speed in a conveying direction of the running nose wire. At or near a zero relative speed between the running nose wire and the reserve nose wire, a leading end of the reserve nose wire is introduced onto the running nose wire, and the two wires are spliced together. The running nose wire is then cut upstream of the splice location such that the reserve nose wire becomes a new running nose wire in the production line.